How do YOU make and use bannock?

schmittie

schmittie

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I understand what bannock is and it looks to be a great food item for a short trip. But, I have never made it. Have you? What works well for you? How have you baked it? How long do the dry ingredients last when made up?
 
In the wilderness it's the simplest "bread". For the basic -flour,water , and a bit of salt.Mix and wrap around a stick and cook over a fire. Next step add yeast [sour dough] .Today many would use baking powder.
From there it's whatever you have as ingredients and whatever cooking method you have !
Take care to keep ingredients dry .
 
I have eaten likely 10-15 variations of Indian bannock in the last 30 years. From my experience the recipe is fluid and has more or less ingrdients in it, according to the maker, or what is on hand. There is the flat dense oven bannock or the light and fluffier fried bannock with baking powder and eggs. I prefer fried if done in a decent light oil and not with lard. People add raisins or baking powder, some sugar, whatever you want. I would rather have a loaf of bread, but when hot and fresh it is not bad now and then. My cooking it on a stick yesterday was the first time that I did that. Bannock was always northern or primarily Indian food here. Indians were poor and wanted something that would stick to your rubs. A belly filler with staying power. It is also more traditional the further north you go. Some communities are isolated and bannock is quicker\easier to make. Basic recipe is flower, water, baking powder, pinch of salt, maybe a touch of sugar. As I said, get five native women from five different communities and you will likely have three-four different recipes.
 
Pizza made with bannock and incorporating marinated cat tail hearts. This was cooked in foil on a rock in the fire.
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Spelt bannock incorporating blueberries and cranberries that we picked there.

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This is spelt bannock I cooked and it has some oats in it too.

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Very cool HD. It looks like I have many more experiments ahead of me. That pizza came our superbly. :thumbup:
 
Thanks upnorth, I was hoping you would chime in.

HD, when I grow up, I wanna be just like you!
 
My recipe, just remember 3,2,1;

3 quantities flour
2 quantities dried milk powder
1 teaspoon (or 1 pinch) baking powder
water as needed to make the dough (add little at a time)

The quantities can be spoons, or cups depending on how many you're cooking for, just keep them the same ratio. This year I was running a course and didn't know one of the students add 1 quantity (this case a CUP) as opposed to 1 teaspoon of baking powder :barf:! It was disgusting and nearly took the roof of your mouth out!

I find this mixture is pretty good, the milk powder adds a sweetness. I tend to make it up beforehand and prefer to add savoury ingredients, my favourite is cheese, onion and mustard powder.

To cook, simply bake it on the cast iron fry pan, slowly does it.
 
pilgrimuk said:
My recipe, just remember 3,2,1;

3 quantities flour
2 quantities dried milk powder
1 teaspoon (or 1 pinch) baking powder
water as needed to make the dough (add little at a time)

The quantities can be spoons, or cups depending on how many you're cooking for, just keep them the same ratio. This year I was running a course and didn't know one of the students add 1 quantity (this case a CUP) as opposed to 1 teaspoon of baking powder :barf:! It was disgusting and nearly took the roof of your mouth out!

I find this mixture is pretty good, the milk powder adds a sweetness. I tend to make it up beforehand and prefer to add savoury ingredients, my favourite is cheese, onion and mustard powder.

To cook, simply bake it on the cast iron fry pan, slowly does it.
Click to expand...
We do this one at home for pizza crust, add in some olive oil, minced garlic and bake first then top with pizza sauce, your favorite toppings and cheese and lightly broil to finish. Pizza as quick as bob's your uncle or however you folks in the UK say it. Yeast raised crust is fine and tastes better but when you need a pizza like meal real quick this is the answer.
 
I use Bisquick mix and water to make a thick dough. I wrap that around a green stick, and back over coals. Seems to work pretty good.

You can carry the mix in a baggie, and just add water. No extra utensils needed.
 
willseeyalater said:
We do this one at home for pizza crust, add in some olive oil, minced garlic and bake first then top with pizza sauce, your favorite toppings and cheese and lightly broil to finish. Pizza as quick as bob's your uncle or however you folks in the UK say it. Yeast raised crust is fine and tastes better but when you need a pizza like meal real quick this is the answer.
Click to expand...

Sounds like a good idea, will have to give that one a go!

Thanks Will.
 
I learnd from an Ojibway woman how to make "Fry Bread". The recipe is not a secret but she told me not to tell;)
I will anyway. Use Bread flour, Baking powder( more than you think), a little salt, and the powdered milk is mixed in WARM water.
Mix the dough to a wetter consistancy than most bread as the Gluten in the Bread flour will "tighten up" the dough some. Let it rest for about a half an hour at least. Pat into small donut like shapes with a hole in the middle. I then fry it in Corn oil about an inch deep, but it should still bake on a stick too. She told me that the warm water was the trick to making
good bread.
 
I eat bannock a bunch when i;m out. I;ve tried it a bunch of different ways this is my new favorite concotion.
I use:
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup unprocessed sugar
1 tbspn salt
2 tbspns of bakingpowder
1/4 cup cinnamon

thats the base and than I might add either foraged treats like blue berries etc
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or things frm home to make it interesting walnuts rasins etc.
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For a long time I would use my zebra pot as a sort of dutch oven to make the breads above Like shown here in a backyard vid
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=engwq9DCTTM

Now I use foil to make a reflector oven ( i think it works better this way) I have pics of it in the camera but I;ve been too lazy to upload them ,
 
We cook on a stick too, in fact my kids call it bread on a stick. For a sweet treat add mini M&Ms.
 
I don't have any pics but one time we made some killer pepperoni rolls using bannock.

We quartered a stick of pepperoni and put a quarter of a stick and a stick of string cheese in each one.

Came out great!
 
Just made some for the first time tonight. I fried it in a bit of olive oil in a cast iron skillet and it was great. Next time, I'll cook it on lower heat and it should be better but this stuff was pretty good plain and better with honey on it.

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Beckerhead #42
 
Bannock can be simple or fancy depending on the situation.

A cup or 2 of flour, 2 large pinches of baking powder, and a pinch of salt together with just enough water to make an extremely firm and dense dough works fine and can be cooked directly on the ashes.

For a more delicious bannock, toss in an egg, milk or milk powder, berries etc. My personal favorite is bannock with a chopped apple and a pinch of sugar and cinnamon.

For a savory dinner, toss in minced jerky or bacon.

As I said before, the simple stuff can be cooked on the coals (put a layer of ash over the coals to protect them)

A hot rock also works well if you don't mind waiting.

That said, a cast iron pan or dutch oven works the best.

I prefer to cook it in bacon fat, especially the simple stuff, as it adds flavor, but anything will work.

Ironwood
 
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